11 June 2021

Newsletter Articles

For more info please see the school calendar

From the Principal

Dear Helensvale State High School community,

As part of our learning with students on assemblies each week we have a regular segment called Learning about Learning. During this time members of our Executive and Teaching and Learning teams share with our students some strategies they can employ to enhance their learning. This week I’d like to share some of strategies for effective study so that parents and carers can reinforce these at home.

Effective study habits:

• When we talk to students about how they can study effectively we talk about spacing out their revision in order to help them remember what they have learned more effectively.
• Learners are more likely to remember what they have been learning if they space out their revision. This means revising the same work at different times.
• Research tells us that we need to revisit or repeat information between sixteen and twenty-four times before it is committed to long term memory.
• Spacing study out is a much more effective way of learning than studying only the night or week before an assessment.

When students are studying it is valuable that they employ effective cognitive strategies to help improve their member.

Cognitive strategies to improve memory:

• Using cognitive strategies can help students memorise information more easily so that during times of assessment they won’t struggle to access the information from the depth of their memory.
• Some of the cognitive strategies we have shared with students include:
  - Chunking – breaking the information into smaller parts.
  - Rehearsal – practice, practice, practice!
  - Imagery – using images or drawing the concept.
  - Mnemonics – creating a word where each letter represents part of the concept.
  - Elaboration – expand on the concept in your own words by providing extra details and information.
• Not all strategies work for all learners. It is valuable for you to talk with your child about what strategies they are trying in their study and revision and what strategies work for them.

We are confident that students who employ these strategies will increase their success in the short and long term.

Yours truly
Karen Lindsay
Executive Principal

New Deputy Principal

We welcome Rebecca Luckett who has joined our school as the new Deputy Principal.

She has come from Pacific Pines High school, where she was the Deputy of Wellbeing and Engagement. Rebecca was also previously a Guidance Officer.

She has a passion for student wellbeing and engagement.

Welcome to the Vale Rebecca!

Arts Department

South Bank Excursion

On Tuesday 1st June, the Year 12 Certificate II in Visual Arts students along with Mrs Caughley, Mr Karsten and Ms Lucre-Impens caught the train to South Bank. It was a gorgeous day and the students took a variety of photos using film and digital cameras and smartphones. These photos will accompany a magazine article that the students will personally create about their day at South Bank.

Media Arts

On Friday 28th May, Senior Media Arts students had the awesome opportunity to engage in the HOTA Digitrek workshop with Dr Grayson Cooke, a professor of Media from the Southern Cross University and creator of award-winning media artworks involving infrared and satellite technologies. Dr Cooke shared his vast knowledge and incredible artmaking process with our students, then facilitated an experimental session of infrared photography with sensational results. Students later had the pleasure of visiting the brand new HOTA gallery and experiencing the rich diversity of media, practices and content on display. It was a spectacular day that enriched and inspired our future generation of creatives. Special thanks go to Renae Belton from HOTA and Karen Graham from TAFE Coomera for creating this opportunity for our students.

Drama Academy

Our year 9 Drama Academy students have spent the term preparing and rehearsing for their entry into the Gold Coast Secondary Schools Drama Festival intermediate section. On Thursday 27th May the students performed this play and it was filmed for submission into the festival, and we have since received the news that they received the Devised Play Award for their entry. Congratulations to Mr Brett Edwards and the Year 9 Academy class for this amazing achievement.

Student Council

Helensvale State High School is proud to introduce our 2021 Student Council. These students are all currently part of our student leadership program. They have been working closely with Mr Ogier and Ms Rauchle to both provide an opportunity for student voice and to celebrate student success within the school and wider community. We look forward to sharing the hard work and efforts of this representative group as the year progresses.

Helensvale SHS Farmers Markets

Don’t forget to support our local farmers.

Queensland Engagement & Wellbeing Survey 2021

Announcement for Local Residents

Academic Academy

E4e and Japanese Academies are accepting Round 2 applications until the 14th July. All details and application forms can be found on our school website.

There are places open in the Japanese Academy classes for years 7-9 for any current students that wish to explore Japan and its language in more detail. Current Students applications are open until the end of week 8 this term. Interested students can email Mr Middleton (bmidd32@eq.edu.au) for an application form or if they have any questions.

Holiday Programs

From the Guidance Officers

Sleeping well for a healthy headspace

Getting the right amount of good sleep can give you more energy, improve concentration, help you better deal with stress and, you guessed it, keep a healthy headspace. Sleep and your mood will improve.

Good sleep is like a mental health superpower.

When you get enough sleep it's easier to manage your emotions: you have more patience and you deal with stressful situations better. Also, you reduce your risk of mental health challenges in the future!

Yet, it’s so common to struggle to sleep. That's because your sleep can be affected by many things – from the food you eat to feeling worried or anxious and even using your phone before bed.

So…how much is enough?

If you’re aged between 12–17 then 8 to 10 hours sleep is ideal, while 18–25 year olds should try to get 7 to 9 hours. Keep in mind that different people need slightly different amounts of sleep.

Click on the link below to find out how you can improve your sleep

Boys to Men program

Uniform Shop

WINTER UNIFORMS IN STOCK NOW

The cooler months are now upon us. At the Uniform Shop we have winter options available.

Students from Year 7 to 9 are able to purchase Trackpants to wear only on the days they have timetabled HPE lessons. Formal Trousers are available for students to wear when in their Formal day uniform. Please be aware students are not permitted to wear trackpants with formal shirts.

Students from Year 10 to 12 are able to wear Formal Trousers every day. Trackpants are only to be worn during timetabled Physical Education, Recreation and HPE related certificate classes.

Trackpants $55.00
Formal Trousers $50.00
Jumpers (limited sizes) and Scarves are on Sale for $10.00 each
Jackets $65.00

Stationery Drive!

This year, our year 10 Northern Collegiate group is working with The Smith Family to collect stationery for students who are less advantaged. The Smith Family is a national children's charity helping Australian children to get the most out of their education, in order to create better futures. At Helensvale SHS we have organised a Stationery Drive to get our school involved with helping others.

Some stationery that The Smith Family are looking for are: Highlighters, pens, pencils, note pads, books, calculators, foolscap Manilla folders, white out and erasers.

We have 2 drop off boxes, one in the SWELL and the other located in the Discovery Place staffroom.

This is a great opportunity for us to help others.

If there are any questions please email: Keely - kkabl2@eq.edu.au or Ella eflow8@eq.edu.au

Helensvale Fundraising

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News from Industry Pathways

Work Experience

As part of the Senior Schooling Program, students are given the opportunity to engage in Career Development through a five-day work experience program.

The school allows five days for this to be done:

Term 2 Friday 28 May and Wednesday 9 June
Term 3 Wednesday 21 July, 28 July and 11 August

Work experience log books are available to collect from Ms Bellamy if you haven’t already done so.

Traineeship Opportunities

A variety of traineeships are on offer with a focus on business and hospitality. To see if your child is eligible to apply please have them email their resume to lbell138@eq.edu.au stating which position they are interested in. Only students on a Vocational Pathway and in Year 11 can apply.

School Based Vacancy Links

Aurora Training Institute please visits their vacancy page:

Prestige Staffing Solution vacancies, please visit this link for more opportunities

Love your current job? Would you like to turn it into a traineeship? Come see Ms Bellamy in KS10 and let’s see if we can create a traineeship for you in your current role.

If your child needs help to create a resume please have them see Ms Bellamy in KS10 or email lbell138@eq.edu.au

School Leavers should check the following links for fulltime employment opportunities

Useful website for guidance on career paths:

External Courses - Year 11 Vocational Pathway Students

Semester 2 courses are taking enrolments now for external providers such as TAFE & GC Trades College. If your child is interested in applying please have them come and see me in KS10 or you can email me on lbell138@eq.edu.au

Ms Bellamy
Industry Liaison Officer

Humanities Tutorials and Homework Help Club

• Do you have an assignment or exam coming up and need a little extra help to understand the content?
• Have you been away and would like to catch up on what you missed?
• Would you would like to improve your skills in analysing sources or constructing a clear paragraph?

Open to all students who are studying Humanities in year 7 & 8 or History and Geography in year 9 to 12. Our amazing Humanities staff will be available to help and give you extra support.

Come find us in DG33.

Maths Tutorials

Science Tutorials

Chat n Chill

Support Staff

As part of our Learning and Well-being framework, we have created a Well-being Hub for students and parents, which can be accessed through the Helensvale State High School webpage. The hub includes links to other websites and apps which can help to support student well-being, as well as provide information on career pathways. To access these ‘well-being hubs’ click on the icons below or go to the HSHS website below, scroll down the page and click on the relevant icon.

Acknowledgment of Country

Helensvale State High School as one community, acknowledges the Kombumerri Peoples, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which our school is built. We respect their long history, ancestry and culture. We pay our respects to the Elders, past, present and emerging for they carry the memories and traditions of past times.

We would also like to extend our acknowledgment to other First Nations Peoples: those hailing from the Torres Strait Islands and those belonging to other Aboriginal Language Groups.

We acknowledge the strength and resilience of Kombumerri peoples. We respect their enduring connection to the local wetlands and the cultural responsibility they uphold to preserve wildlife. Together, we go forward, learning in the spirit of these values.